Cliffe: Two men Jailed For Producing Cannabis

Two men have been given prison sentences for producing cannabis at a house in Medway.

On 25 October 2014, officers from Kent Police visited an address in Wadlands Road in Cliffe after receiving reports of the smell of cannabis coming from the house.

Casimir Anderson, 25, of Church Street in Gillingham, was in a car on the driveway and detained to allow officers to carry out a drugs search. Before it could be confiscated, Anderson managed to use his mobile phone to send a text message that read; ‘Police outside’.

Anderson’s father – 51 year-old Paul – answered the door when police knocked and was arrested on suspicion of producing cannabis. A search of the house located 112 cannabis plants at various stages of growth.

A number of black sacks full of budding plants were also seized. The set-up at the house was estimated to provide a yearly yield of £200,000 worth of cannabis.

In December 2014 both Paul Anderson and Casimir Anderson were charged with producing cannabis.

On 11 June both men were sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court after having pleaded guilty to the charges. Paul Anderson received a 16 month sentence, while Casimir Anderson was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Detective Constable Iain Joyce from Kent Police said: ‘The Andersons had converted their house specifically for growing cannabis. They had modified rooms with high powered heating bulbs, ventilation, as well as using gels to try and mask the distinctive smell of cannabis.

‘Their efforts were in vain though as the smell from the house was reported and we were able to destroy their crops, dismantle their factory and ultimately secure prison sentences against them.’